Cyrus: Swamp Heads (6 page)

There’s guilt reflecting in his eyes that change to concern when he blinks. Not understanding the reason, I voice my thoughts. “What’s wrong? Did something happen? Did he call or did you hear from him?”

He visibly swallows as if he’s hiding something or might not be telling me the truth. “Let’s go wash up, shall we?”

Concern now travels through my body. My gut is telling me something is wrong and yet my mind is telling me to trust him. Nothing more is discussed as we both shower and dry ourselves fast.

When I walk out of the bathroom, Cyrus hands me a few small bags. “I’ve had a few change of clothes delivered for you. Hope you don’t mind me picking it out for you.”

I smile at the thoughtfulness of him getting me a change of clothes. Looking through them, I settle for a jean skirt and a red tank top. This time I’m wearing red lace boy shorts with a red lace bra. Cyrus walks back into the bedroom. He’s wearing a pair of light blue jeans and a white wife beater. My gaze settles on his pierced nipples. Clearly showing through the tightness of the fabric.

“Eyes up, we need to go and that sweet pussy of yours needs a few hours of rest before I can bury myself deep again.”

I swallow at the dryness in my mouth and rub my legs together to ease the throbbing between it.

He turns on his heel while he all but growls, “Let’s go.”

We’ve been driving for hours and just as I’m about to doze off, I feel the car slowing down as Cyrus guides it into a spot next to a large building. The whole place is illuminated in bright blue with a circle of pink and yellow in the middle. The tiny building in front of it and the drive through are lit in an orange glow. It’s an impressive view all together.

I’m still enjoying the view as Cyrus opens my door and I step out.

“Impressive, huh?” he wraps his arm around my waist as he guides me inside the building.

I lean into his chest as my head tilts so I can whisper the words into his ear. “It’s magnificent and takes my breath away. But that’s nothing compared to what you do to me.”

His body tenses and yet I don’t understand his shift in body language. Just as I’m about to ask what’s been bugging him, there’s a large commotion. Flashing lights.  Ringing bells. A machine starts to spit out a lot of coins and a guy is jumping up and down in excitement.

A smile comes over my face. The man’s excitement is contagious.

***Cyrus***

I can’t do this anymore. I need to tell her the truth. At the time it felt like a great plan. Now? Not so much. The guilt is eating me up and yet at the same time I don’t feel sorry at all. We never would have gotten close if it wasn’t for her brother messing up.

My mind was already spinning with ideas the moment I took the phone from Bertie when her bother called. I jumped on the opportunity and the plan was set in motion. Yet right now, this moment… it’s all going to crash and burn. My chest tightens at the loss that the future will hold.

Needing a moment alone to brace for what I’m about to do, I let her know. “I’m going to the front desk to check us in, okay?” She absently nods and waves her hand, not even giving me a second glance. She trusts my word,
she trusts me
, blindly. I walk off and when I’m sure she isn’t paying attention, I turn and watch her.

Bertie’s face is lit with excitement while she watches people playing the machines, looking for fortune with every coin they throw in. My heart tugs inside my chest. I don’t ever want to see her without the smile she’s wearing now. Except, I know for sure that the moment I tell her the truth, will be the moment she loses it. And I will lose her.

Her head turns and I know she’s searching for me. Her gaze meets mine and I can’t hold back any longer. I’m determined to fight for her with everything I got and won’t back down until she forgives me.

Stalking back to her, the words stumble out of my mouth. “Hey, we need to talk. I should…”

Interrupting me with a huge smile she rambles, “Do you have a quarter? I need a quarter, I wanna take a chance.”

I reach inside my pocket thankful she’s prolonging our moment together. Opening my fist, she searches through the coins in my hand. Picking three, she shoots me a smile and tries to walk away.

“Hey, you’re forgetting something.” She looks back at me. “Always gamble with your own money. It’s bad luck to gamble with money you’ve lent.”

She steps back to me, tilting her head. “But I don’t have any money on me.”

The grin that spreads my face is her first warning. “Then you’ll have to compensate in a different way.”

Stepping closer, her husky voice travels to my ear. “And what did you have in mind?”

“A kiss. And not a small one either.  With tongue please.”

She taps with her finger on her lips as if she needs to think things over. My arm snakes around her waist as she giggles and lets me pull her closer to me.

She travels her hand along my beard as she slides it up into my hair, pulling me down to meet her lips. She opens up immediately as I take every second to enjoy this moment as if it were my last.

Hell, it just might be…because the moment I tell her the truth… The kiss is over way too fast.  She pulls back and reaches for the slot, she drops the first quarter in and nothing big happens. She shrugs her shoulders and before she throws in the next one I start,

“Your brother isn’t here. He’s at home.”

She turns as the quarter drops in. “What? But how? Is he okay?”

“He never went anywhere. He was downtown at Daisy’s Bed and Breakfast. I had my brother pick him up ten minutes after we left town.”

Lights flash, bells whistle and cheers surround us. People gather as they congratulate Bertie. A woman walks in with a claim ticket in her hand and shoves it in Bertie’s hands as light flashes from camera’s around us.

Neither of us break eye contact. I see the moment she processes the meaning of my words. Betrayal and repulse dominates her gaze as she looks down at the paper. My eyes follow. How I wish she needed me, my help or anything that would involve me being in her life. The possibility evaporates the moment I read the amount on the claim ticket. She just won two point five million dollars. The casino’s jackpot.

She doesn’t give me another glance as the manager whisks her away to take care of formalities. I’m waiting outside for her to come back out. Another glance at my watch tells me she’s been in there for over an hour. I can’t see anything since it’s just a door without windows but this feels like it’s taking forever.

From the corner of my eye I see the manager strolling by.
What the hell
?

Walking up to her, I can barely keep my voice even. “Where’s the woman who just won the jackpot?”

She gives me a sad smile. “She left about twenty minutes ago. Now, if you would excuse me.”

I watch the manager walk off while my life falls apart.

When I came back home yesterday morning I never expected this turn of events. Yes, I was searching for something, anything that would give my life more meaning. Maybe a new goal to strive for while being in the comfort of my home, with family surrounding me. Going back to my roots so to say.

Only to effin find everything I didn’t know I was looking for and then lose it the next day. Yeah, my bad, I know. But
dagnammit
, she would have never given me a effin chance if I asked her out or chased her within the city limits. Never. I needed this, correction,
we needed this
. A time-out from everything to get connected. And we effin well did.

She needs to forgive me so we can work on this and move forward. I’m not giving up. Concern fills my chest.  Will she be able to get home on her own? She does have money now and with her attitude and personality I shouldn’t worry. She’s technically not my responsibility. But
dagnammit
, I dragged her out here so I guess it is. And I
want
her to be my responsibility.

Storming out of the casino with nothing left to do but get in my car and drive home, there’s a little flash of hope she’s just mad but waiting for me next to my car.

That thought evaporates when I get to my car and see it’s got two sliced tires. Yeah. She’s mad alright. If I’m lucky, I’ll end up in Nana’s habitat instead of facing Bertie’s wrath.

***Bertie***

If that blasted idiot ever comes near me again, I’ll tie him up and throw him in with Nana. I can’t believe I laid my heart on the line like that. Only to have it dragged down and ripped to shreds. Like a gator taking its prey with him.
Connard
.

The walk from the casino to the bus stop has calmed me down enough that I feel like I can be civil. Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I’m thankful it’s charged fully. I dial my Pa’s landline and he picks up after the sixth ring.

“Pa, is Wilbur with you?”

He grunts and I hear a shuffle and then the freaking voice of the idiot. “Heya sis.”

“Don’t you heya me,
dagnammit
. Why the hell have you been dodging my calls, huh? Letting me think I needed to come get you.” I’m holding my phone in front of my face to yell, quickly placing it next to my ear to hear his response.

“Because Chester picked me up and told me his brother would give me Pa’s house back and even pay off the loan my drunk ass made if I did what he asked. An hour before I woke up in a hotel room with a sore ass and ten bucks between my toes, Bertie. Hell yeah I took Cyrus’s offer. Do you think I’m stupid?”

It’s true. My brother is so dumb, if he tried to throw himself on the ground… he would miss. I pull my hand from my ear and I hit the red End button. I don’t want to hear anything else nor do I want to talk or answer the no-brainer; ‘do you think I’m stupid’ question. I need to get my butt home. Work. That I can do, autopilot will get me through this.

There’s a hole in the space that once held my heart. My brain is now branded with memories that fall apart when I think of the lies he threw out to give me them. I need to throw everything aside and handle things. I have the tools to do so now. Money. Get a lawyer to overthro
w
Danssel, hire a new company to handle the renovation. But first… I need to go home.

The sound of the greyhound bus stopping in front of me takes away some of my stress. I step inside, find a seat and close my eyes. I’ve got miles and hours to kill so I might as well catch up on some sleep. Since I met Cyrus we didn’t spend much time with our eyes closed. Well unless it was due to exhaustion from the pleasure we gave each other.

I need to stop thinking about that. He’s gone, I’ve cut him out of my life. I don’t need a guy who would lie to get what he wants. No wonder he’s rich, he probably scammed his way through it all…filling his pockets as he goes. Even that thought hurts, maybe because deep down I know that’s a lie, but how the hell would I freakin’ know what’s true or not?

Yet his smile is the thing I dream about along with his strong arms holding me tight. My gut is telling me I might need to give him another chance, hear him out, maybe listen to what his reasons might have been for tricking me. But my mind is telling me to focus on my company. I’m too tired to worry about anything. Sleep overtakes me again and drowns out the struggle raging inside of me.

A gentle tug on my arm wakes me up. An old lady I recognize as Granny Moonshine smiles at me. “End of the line, sweetheart.”

I smile back at her before I stretch and say, “Thanks, Granny. I could sleep for a few more hours but on the other hand…it’s nice to be home.”

She chuckles. “Damn right. I need to check on my nephews to make sure they didn’t mess up my moonshine. I have orders to handle and deliveries to make. But I needed to visit my sister, she broke her hip, you know.”

I reach out to touch her arm. “Oh no, is she okay?”

She waves a hand in front of her. “Never mind her, she’s a white haired witch that bounces back every time she breaks something. It wouldn’t be normal if she didn’t. She’s been breaking bones ever since she started to walk.”

She walks off laughing.

A smile tugs my lips. Crazy woman. Maybe I need to pay her a visit and get some of her moonshine so I can sulk and get drunk on the back deck tonight.

Shaking my head, I leave the bus to start walking to my house. It’s a good thirty minutes before I see the gates of my gator farm. It’s early so we’re not open yet. My heart skips a beat when I see a car in front of the gates. A Beemer. His car. He’s here. Cyrus. Although I was expecting it, I’m not ready to face him. Mainly because I’m still mad as hell.

Deciding that there’s no way around this since the main gate is the only entrance. Well, unless I want to jump a fence and go through mud, water, and gator territory. Yeah, no. Safest way is passing Mudfoot.

The car door opens and he steps out. I don’t want to look at him and yet our eyes meet automatically. My heart tugs at the hurt and guilt that’s eating his eyes. The black smudges underneath them indicates he hasn’t slept. He must have drove all night and stayed here to stand guard for me to return.
This doesn’t change anything
.

“Can we talk?” His voice sounds more like a plea.

“Sorry, I’m all out of words.” I snap and don’t slow my pace.

He steps toward me when I’m almost next to him. “Please, just hear me out, then I’ll leave.”

I stop to face him. “Stay right here, I don’t freakin’ care. We’re done and I have work to do.”

“We’re
not
done.” He growls.

A shiver runs through my traitorous body. All I want to do is pull him close and experience those strong arms around me one more time.  I want to feel the feeling of safety and the zing of desire. He made me feel treasured. But… He lied. He tricked me.

So my mind speaks up. “Oh, shut your yapper and let me tell you something, Mudfoot. The freakin’ sun doesn’t come up just to hear you crow. You blindsided me. Showing only your good side so I would open up to you. And what did I get? I got lied to.  I guess that’s the price to pay for feeling so strong over you. I can’t do this Cyrus, like I said… we’re done.”

I walk off and he all but screams the words out to me, making me falter. I stop to listen with my back still facing him.

“Then tell me this,
Ma Poupée
, would you have given me another glance if I didn’t whisk you away from here and asked you out? Would we have a chance to get to know each other? Effin connect? No, I tell you. Do I regret what I did? No. Why? Because I’d rather have the hours we spent together, realizing you were the one thing that was missing in my life, then not to have known at all. Now I will give you time to get over the way I handled things. Because yes, I might regret that part… But mark my effin words when I tell you
I will be back to claim you as mine
.”